Making a Real Impact with Learning

This is a great piece about online learning and leadership development — a project I’m very passionate about, as a teacher and as a coach. This is a powerful tool — if used in an engaging way — to support active, self-paced learning and build virtual community! I appreciate the way the blog applies the learning potential to setting, clarifying and supporting goals.

I was recently working with a new client on applying Situational Leadership® II in his organization. I suggested as a first step he meet with each of his direct reports to get clear on their goals.

“But I already know each person’s goals,” he said. “We all always have goals. In fact, we just did a midyear review to make sure all the goals are still on target. How on earth would people know how they are supposed to be spending their time if they didn’t have their goals?”

I had to laugh and answered, “You’d be surprised how many managers out there are not at all clear about their own goals, let alone their peoples’ goals.”

He was absolutely appalled at the idea that anyone would try to achieve anything in an organization without clear goals. Goals aren’t important only for helping people prioritize their time; having goals and…